Ombudsman opinion: OIA timeliness obligations
On 20 March 2025, the Ombudsman released a report on how Pharmac manages Official Information Act requests.
Pharmac welcomed the independent report calling for increased openness and transparency in the organisation's work and has made a range of changes in response to the report’s findings.
About the Ombudsman's report
Pharmac was one of the seven public sector agencies involved in the Ombudsman’s self-initiated investigation, along with the Department of Internal Affairs, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Health New Zealand, Kāinga Ora, Transpower, and the Treasury.
The report identified several areas where Pharmac can improve the way it handles Official Information Act requests. It suggested 31 action items to help improve Pharmac’s OIA systems and processes.
- March 2025 Ombudsman Report on timeliness | Pharmac [PDF 1.9 MB]
Ombudsman's website(external link)
Pharmac's response to the report
Pharmac has developed a plan to implement the 31 action items. Significant progress has been made, and as of 28 February, we have fully implemented 17 action items and have partially implemented 5 action items.
Pharmac has proactively released our progress tracking to demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to creating an open and transparent culture.
Who to contact
If you have any questions about this report or how Pharmac handles Official Information Act requests, email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz